Field of Invention
The current invention relates to an apparatus and method for modifying the wake of a ski boat. More particularly, a device is temporarily attached to one side of the stern of a boat in order to modify the wake pattern of the boat.
Prior Art
When the boat hull length is an exact mirror image from side to side, then the boat's wave rolls from each side of the boat and meets in the center.
In the current invention, a wake shaping device is attached on one side of the stern, thereby effectively making one side of the boat longer than the other side. This modification delays the formation of the wave on the opposite side so that it is behind the natural wave formation on the side where the wake shaping device is installed. This modification lifts the water and causes the wake to be taller and longer on the opposite side from the installation of the wake shaping device. The delayed wave on the opposite side of the boat from the wake shaping device allows the wave to crest over the natural wave on the side where the device is installed.
The sport of wake surfing is currently the fastest growing segment of behind-the-boat water sports. Wake surfing involves a short surfboard and a short rope that is only used to get up from the water, then is thrown into the boat as the rider gets comfortable on the wave. When the rope is thrown in the boat, the wake surfer rides the boat wake as he or she would an ocean wave. To get a wake large enough to ride, people add ballast bags to the back of the boat, oftentimes on the side where the wake surfer is riding, tilting the boat to one side. It is also common practice to put all of the people in the boat on the side the wake surfer is riding to further weight that side. This tilting of the boat can cause the boat to take on water when going over larger waves and can also cause difficulty for the driver, as weight in the stern of the boat makes the bow of the boat ride higher causing obstructed sight lines.
The wake shaping device of the current invention makes ballast and other weighting of the boat less necessary, as the extension of the boat increases wake height and performance without adding weight to the boat. If ballast is used, then the boat can be weighted evenly, and spectators in the boat can distribute their weight more evenly. This affords the driver clearer sight lines for safer driving. It also allows the boat to ride higher in the water, as it was designed, so the boat doesn't take on water when going over larger waves. For more advanced riders, ballast may be required.
Wake surfing is performed close to the stern of the boat, as that is where the boat wake crests and forms the best surfing wake. This can be dangerous for beginner surfers, if they are not accustomed to shifting their weight from front to back on the surfboard to control their momentum and placement on the wake. Surfing so close to the stern of the boat can also be dangerous, as the wake surfer is close to where the exhaust exits the back of the boat. Exhaust fumes can have obvious negative affects on the wake surfer, including carbon monoxide poisoning.
The wake shaping device of the current invention elongates the “sweet spot” of the wake, the area where the rope goes slack and the wake surfer can ride without the rope, allowing them to ride further back from the stern of the boat in a safer zone. It also makes the wake taller and firmer, minimizing the froth of the wave. Froth does not have any forward push to give the surfer the momentum needed to stay with the boat.
Ballast tanks are filled and drained according to which side the wake surfer surfs on, so there is some down time between surfers if they ride on different sides. The wake shaping device allows for a quicker shift from side to side, as ballast tanks do not need to be emptied and refilled between surfers.
In one embodiment of the current invention, there are separate, specifically molded wake shaping devices for port- and starboard-side surfers.
In another embodiment, a single wake shaping device may be temporarily installed on either side of the boat by inverting the device when installed on the opposite side.
Some makes and models of boats have built in wake surfing devices. Malibu offers Surf Gate™, which is a complicated mechanical system tied to electronics and electric actuators. Electric motors drive a hinged flat board from the back of the platform toward the outside of the boat. It is electronically controlled from the driver's console. It cannot be retrofitted on other models of boats and costs thousands of dollars as an upgrade package. Nautique's version is also not retrofittable and costs thousands of dollars for the upgrade package. Nautique has a plate that is mounted flat to the stern of the boat. Electric motors drive the plate out and down, beyond the edge of the boat, changing the wake shape. To get boats with these options, the base boat is nearing $100,000.
The wake shaping device of the current invention is much less expensive than the upgrade packages of other manufacturers.
In one embodiment, the device may be molded specifically to the design of the different boat manufacturers' sterns, ensuring optimal fit. The devices are retrofittable and can be molded to fit nearly any existing inboard boat's stern.
In another embodiment, the device may be provided with a custom insert that is configured to fit a particular boat model stern profile and platform.
In one embodiment, the wake shaping device uses a vacuum cup attachment means. Some manufacturers sterns will require more than one vacuum cup.
In one example, the wedge shape of the wake shaping device utilizes water pressure to distribute the load evenly across the fastening side of the device, thereby allowing for a tight fit to the back of the boat.
There are not any electronic systems to install or repair. The compact size and light-weight design of the wake shaping device will not clutter or weight down the boat. When the device is not in use, it is stored inside the boat.